自学考试英美国家概况115-132第七章.pdf

I '7 Chapter Govern ent and A ministration The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy: the head of State is a king or a queen. In practice, the Sovereign reigns, but d not rule: the United Kingdom is governed, in the name of the Sovereign, 'by His or Her Majesty's Government - a body of Minis- ters who are the leading members of whichever political party the electorate has voted into office, and who are responsible to Parlia- ment . . The system of parliamentary government is not based on a written constitution. There is no written constitution in the United King- • . dom, that is , unlike the constiutions of most other countries, the British constitution is not set out in any single document., It is made up of statute law, common law -and conventions (Conventions are rules and practices which are not legally enforceable but which are regarded as indispensable to the working of government). The Judi- ciary determines common law and interprets stat'utes. I . The Monarchy The monarchy is the oldest institution of government, going back • . to at least the 9th century. The continuity of the monarchy, which has had only a few changes in the direct line of succession in the past 1, 000 years, has been broken only once when, between 1649 and 113 16609 a republic was established. Although the monarchy has sur- vived, it seems that it has no real power today - The present Sovereign, Queen Elizabeth II, was born on April 21, 1926- was married to the Prince Philip, the Duke of Edin- burgh, on November 20, 1947; came to the throne on